Montefrio - Las Penas de los Gitanos

Las Peñas de los Gitanos

The Peñas de los Gitanos (Gypsey’s caves) is the collective name for an area of archaeological sites to the east of the present Montefrio that evidence human settlement from Neolithic times to the middle ages. Excavations here have unearthed numerous artefacts including combs made from bone, flint arrowheads and shards of decorative ceramics in the collection of prehistoric dolmens and cave dwellings, one of which has primitive rock paintings. Also here is a Medieval citadel, the remains of a Roman fort and, in the gorge below, six water mills.

Visigoth Necropolis and 8th Century ruined Village

Located on the 'Cerro de Castellón' (Castellon Hill) these sites open to explore.

To reach the Cerro de Castellón drive east from Montefrio village 4km along the GR-3410. After km16 marker the road decends and inmedialely after a bridge over a stream on a right hand bent there is a track on the right hand side marked by a bus shelter. Drive up the windy unmade track 1km and you reach a Cortijo (farmhouse) park here. From here climb up the wooded Cerro del Castellon making a loop in an anticlockwise direction following roughly identifyable paths.

You will climb the Camino Medieval (Medieval track) to an area of the Citidal called the Poblado (village) where the foundations can be clearly seen since this area was excavated by a team from University of Granada in 1981. Continuing we can find Military Gate, Olive mill, Cliff face path, a fort, a medieval pulley, a ‘Gran Calle', Three Tombs and the Baptismal Font. All decribed in detail by Don Lorenzo.

Montefrio down through time

The numerous traces of Montefrío's rich history are described in the guidebook Roads and Trails of Montefrío by formar resident the late Lawrence Bohme, perhaps still on sale at the town's tourist office. additionally' Montefrio Last Stop' is the first of eight essays where Lawrence Bohme reminisces on the summer of 1960 and his discovery of Montefrio.

Montefrio down through time book is available on Amazon. It contains an informative chapter on the Las Penas de los Gitanos complex with detailed description and hand drawn maps of how to find the ruins. It was originally published by Nativola in Granada in 2003 as 'Portrait of Montefrio' and before that self published by Lorenzo as Roads and Trails of Montefrío.
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The trail of the Dolmens – El Rodeo

This is the best known part of the site because of the large tombs that stand in a meadow called El Rodeo. This is reached by following a different track on foot which begins a few km further along the GR-3410 than the track leading to Cortijo Castellon. The El Rodeo track is signposted on the left hand side if driving from Montefrio.

Location

Cortijo Castellon marked where to park the car